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Edmonton Eskimos head coach Danny Maciocia has delivered the nicest compliment possible to the starting offensive line.
With the regular season starting tomorrow night against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Commonwealth Stadium, the starting five - Kevin Lefsrud, Joe McGrath, Patrick Kabongo, Tim Bakker and Dan Comiskey - have no job security issues.
"This offensive line - right now as we are speaking - I wouldn't trade our five for any other five in the CFL," said Maciocia yesterday.
That statement wouldn't have been made at times last year. The hogs up front were blasted regularly - until the final few games - as quarterback Ricky Ray ran for his life at times in 2006.
A newly formed line last year had Kabongo at right tackle, Bakker at centre, McGrath at left tackle, Comiskey at left guard and Raleigh Roundtree at right guard in the second half.
"I don't think too many people believed in them (last year)," said Maciocia.
But after a rock-solid final pre-season game last week against B.C. - providing Ray plenty of time to set up the offence - the line is deserving of praise.
"And now, hopefully, in a few weeks as we go along and they keep on playing the way I think they are capable of playing, people are going to fall in love with those five," said Maciocia.
